Six measles immunization clinics will be held in Red Deer this month, as health officials try to contain an outbreak of the viral disease.
The designated clinics follow the announcement Tuesday that Alberta Health Services is making additional vaccine available to babies under one year old in Central Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton. Twenty-two cases of measles have been identified across the three zones in 2014, a total far higher than normal.
The Red Deer clinics will be held at the Johnstone Crossing Community Health Centre at 300 Jordan Pkwy in the city’s northwest. They will be held on May 7, 9, 12, 16, 20 and 24. Each clinic will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the exception of the last clinic, which will end at 4 p.m.
At the clinics, vaccines will be offered to infants between the ages of six and 11 months, children one year and older who have not yet received their first dose of the vaccine, children four and up who have not received their second dose, individuals born in or after 1970 who have not received two doses, and any health care workers who are not immune to measles.
In addition to the clinics, measles vaccine continues to be offered free across Alberta at community health centres and public health offices on an appointment basis.
Persons uncertain about their or their child’s immunization history can contact their local health centre or Health Link Alberta at 1-866-408-5465.